The Decline in Rent Sharing

A-Tier
Journal: Journal of Labor Economics
Year: 2024
Volume: 42
Issue: 3
Pages: 683 - 716

Authors (3)

Brian Bell (not in RePEc) Paweł Bukowski (not in RePEc) Stephen Machin (London School of Economics (LS...)

Score contribution per author:

1.341 = (α=2.01 / 3 authors) × 2.0x A-tier

α: calibrated so average coauthorship-adjusted count equals average raw count

Abstract

The evolution of rent sharing is studied. Based on a panel of the top 300 publicly quoted British companies over 35 years and using excess stock market returns to patenting activity as an instrument for economic rents, the paper reports evidence of a significant fall over time in the pass-through from rents to wages. It confirms that wages do respond to firm-level shocks to economic rents, but by significantly less after 2000 than during the 1980s and 1990s. The evidence of decline is robust, corroborated with alternative instruments and industry-level analysis for the United States and the European Union.

Technical Details

RePEc Handle
repec:ucp:jlabec:doi:10.1086/724570
Journal Field
Labor
Author Count
3
Added to Database
2026-01-25